tires

[horace]

After balancing & rebalancing my 8 17.5 bias ply tires I'm told these tires are out of round. What are you guys using for tires on your Power Giants? All I want is ROUND new or used tires out here in MN. Any ideas? I'll probably drive this truck 3000 more miles @ the most the rest of my life.
Thank you

[Ron in Indiana]

For M&S tires I used STA tires on the last truck I restored. They rode fine and were the only 8x17.5's I could find. I have Tornel tires on my 59 which are 17" they get typicla flat spots from sitting but warm up and ride well. If yours are out of round can you have them spun and shaved a bit to help?

[DrPepper]

Went to 16" wheels....

fought to find 17.5's in a reasonable road tire and gave up. I tried everyone including "Stockton Wheel" in California, beware of them, there is a list of troubled orders, and they never returned my calls. I bought my 16" x 8" rims from Diamond Industries in Milwaukee, WI. I have a 57 TW-PW with the 6X7.25" bolt circle and 5/8-18 studs. I'm running the 16" tires I had on my '03 Dakota now, available everywhere for a reasonable price. They do not look exactly like the original... but they are going to be much more practical than the 17.5's. Gives it a kind of hot-rod look. I can't tell you how it runs down the road as the engind and trans are on the floor waiting to be installed. I expect it will run good. The wheels are very heavy and well made.
http://www.diamondracingwheels.com/
http://www.diamondracingwheels.com/drwcustom.html
The large black wheels are what i got, but in white. Bought 5 wheels for $800 out the door. Drove up and picked them up. Bought new tires for my daily driver and put the old Michelines on the 57.

I'll admit if you want to "have it original...", it isn't. But it will be practical.
DrPepper

[Paul Cook]

Old School answer before shaving

I have used this on everything with inflatable tires - trucks, motorcycles, riding mowers, etc.

This is very common with bias ply tires and almost all nylon tires. It also happens with tires that have been stored crooked.

Typically, this is discovered when the tires are first mounted.

Run them for a little while with reduced inflation. Then add some air and run them a little more. Then, when you know they have "warmed up", go ahead and inflate them to recommended paressure. After doing this I have actually had to have them rebalanced by removing most of the added wheel weights.

Hope this helps.

[Steve G]

What is the best way to store bias ply tires off the rim?